Todd Howard admits, ‘I’ll probably say no,’ to an Elder Scrolls TV series

Todd Howard admits, ‘I’ll probably say no,’ to an Elder Scrolls TV series
Images via Amazon | Bethesda

Written by 

Tom Chapman

Published 

11th Apr 2024 13:53

If you think Amazon's live-action Fallout series' success will lead to a Bethesdaverse of shows and movies, sorry, we might have some bad news for you. Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy's video game adaptation is bringing life back into the Wasteland, but unfortunately, other Bethesda IPs might be kept locked in their vaults.

Amazon has just dropped all eight episodes of Fallout to rave reviews (we loved it). There's already talk of a potential second season, and if the template that Nolan and Joy laid out for Westworld is anything to go by, there could be even more after that. With such a strong start, the conversation has turned to Bethesda's other juggernauts.

Todd Howard snubs the idea of an Elder Scrolls series... for now

@ign

Todd Howard says he’ll probably say no to other Bethesda adaptations. #fallout #tv #show #streaming #primevideo #bethesda #skyrim #ign #redcarpet #celebrity #premiere #gaming #videogames

♬ original sound - IGN

Speaking to IGN, Bethesda boss Todd Howard (who serves as an Executive Producer on Fallout) has downplayed the idea of a live-action The Elder Scrolls series. When asked if other projects are in the works, Howard confirmed no, "There's nothing in the works."

He continued, "Everybody asks, like, about Elder Scrolls, and I keep saying no also. And I would approach those - I'll probably say no."

As for Fallout's early wins, Howard explained, "It wasn't forced. It was kind of a natural relationship and 'hey, this sounds really cool.' As opposed to, 'we should have a show,' right? It never came from that."

Although Howard admits he can't predict the future when it comes to adapting the likes of The Elder Scrolls, at least he's having fun with Fallout, concluding, "This has been one of the most enjoyable projects I've ever done, and we're just kind of over the moon, everybody in the studio with seeing it this way."

Not every game needs a live-action adaptation

Elder Scrolls skeleton and Dragonborn
Click to enlarge
Image via Bethesda

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We might be in a renaissance of video game adaptations, but you have to draw the line somewhere. Fallout has found a great niche by basically pitching itself as an unofficial Fallout 5, but what would TES bring to the table?

There's a reason the planned Final Fantasy TV series has fallen through, and sometimes, a game's backdrop is just too big to adapt. Also, let's remember there are supposedly upcoming TV adaptations for everything from God of War to Mass Effect, Assassin's Creed to Horizon. We guarantee not all of them will be the hit Fallout is. 

While even Howard admits he'll never say never, we won't pin our hopes on seeing The Elder Scrolls leap from console and PC. Sorry all, it doesn't sound like Gerard Butler will be shouting "Fus Ro Dah" as a live-action Dragonborn anytime soon. 

Tom Chapman
About the author
Tom Chapman
Tom is Trending News Editor at GGRecon, with an NCTJ qualification in Broadcast Journalism and over seven years of experience writing about film, gaming, and television. With bylines at IGN, Digital Spy, Den of Geek, and more, Tom’s love of horror means he's well-versed in all things Resident Evil, with aspirations to be the next Chris Redfield.
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